Thread reel



Patented May 15, 1934 lTED STATES PATENT orrics THREAD REEL Application March 23, 1932, Serial No. 600,734 In Germany April 8, 1931 3 Claims. (Cl. 242-111) This invention relates to thread reels generally, but in its specific embodiment as shown and described in this application, it has particular reference to reels for artiiicial silk thread to 5 be reeled or wound into cakes.

In thread winding or reeling devices of the class to which the invention relates, it is necessary to change the diameter at different times, of the members on which the thread is reeled. An

object of my invention is to provide a construction that easily will enable this change to be effected. Another object is to provide a construction that will be simple and otherwise advantageous, all as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The invention consists in whatever is described by or is included within the scope of the appended claims.

1n the annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a View in longitudinal section of one embodiment of my invention, the thread supporting arms being shown in full and dotted lines, respectively, in two radially adjusted positions;

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

The embodiment shown in the drawing comprises a rotatable shaft 10, and arms l1, of suitable number toy constitute the reel body, which are pivoted or jointed at one end to the shaft and radiate therefrom with their outer ends free. Thus said arms may be moved on their pivotal connection with the shaft so that they may be placed, at different times, at different distances from the shaft, and thus vary the diameter of the thread encircling portions thereof.

The arms 11 may be of metal bands or strips or wire, round in cross section and as shown in the drawing, they are of such wire and wire which has some elasticity. The wire for each arm is bent to provide at one end an eye l2 for joining that end by a pivot 13, at the periphery of a collar or hub 14, xed to the shaft 10. From the eye 12, the wire extends in the general direction of the shaft 10, and at the point farthest from the hub lll, is bent abruptly radially outward and then abruptly but at an incline inward, thus in effect providing an outwardly extending flange 15, and from the inner end of the latter it is extended by what may be considered a body portion 16, in the general direction of the shaft 10 and at its end nearest the position of the hub 14, is bent radially and at an incline outward to provide in effect a flange 17. The bends 15 and 17 constitute outwardly projecting surfaces which hold or prevent the reeled thread or cake from sliding along the body portion 16 off the reel.

Mounted for axial movement along the shaft l0, in either direction is a member that engages each of the arms on that portion thereof just beyond the pivot eyes 12, so that by sliding such member to dii'erent positions along the shaft, the arms may be swung on the pivots to change the positions of the body portion 16, a greater or less distance from the shaft, the portions of the arms engaged by saidr member being inclined with reference to the shaft axis so that the acrtion is like that of a cam. It will be seen that in a general way the action and the result are urn- 7.@ brella-like, the member-engaged portion of the arms corresponding to the umbrella ribs.

The axially slidable member may be given different forms. As shown in the drawing, it is a disc 18, which has near its outer edge a hole 19, through which the portion of the arm to be acted on by the disc passes. At its center, it has a hub-like extension 20, that provides a sliding bearing on the shaft.

Of course, to prevent accidental swinging of the arms during a reeling operation, the disc must be securely held at the proper adjustment along the shaft. For this purpose various forms of holding device may be used which, of course, should be such as to permit easy shifting of the disc along the shaft when necessary. Such a device can be a spring latch or ratchetlike contrivance carried by the disc and co-acting with notches, teeth or the like on the shaft. As shown in the drawing, the shaft is provided with a series of annular ribs 21, spaced apart along the shaft for engagement by a suitable latch device 22, carried by the disc.

As shown by way of example, the latch 22, is a spring wire of L-shape with a coil at the angle with one arm secured at one end to the disc 18 by a screw 26, and near the coil engaging a short pin or stud 27, projecting from the disc and the other arm being free and adapted to engage a short pin or stud 28, projecting from the underside of the disc 18. When the stud 28, is so engaged by said arm as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, the latch 22 is held out of contact with the side of the shaft 10, but when said arm is disengaged from said stud 28, it will swing to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and in full lines in Fig. 3 into engagement with one of the grooves adjacent the ribs 21, the arm passing through a slot 29 in the side of the disc hub 20.

Movement of the adjusting disc 18, along the shaft and arms is limited by providing-a more or less sharp out bend or elbow, 23, on each arm situated the desired distance from the pivot eye l2, to limit the movement of the disc 18, along the shaft in the direction to collapse or move inward the arms.

At one end just beyond the hub 14, the shaft 10 has a brake whirl or Wheel 24, and at the other end it is shown as hollow, or tubular for the attachment of a shaft extension or prolongation 25, as a means of support at that end of the shaft.

Reels embodying the invention may be attached to or made a part of machines of different kinds.

What is claimed is:

1. A thread reel comprising a shaft, a plurality of radial thread-receiving arms movably conneoted with the shaft for movement in radial directions the connection between the arms and the shaft being in each case an eye and a pivot passing through the eye 0n which the arm is freely movable in opposite directions toward and from the shaft and an arm-movable member having holes through which the arms slidably pass and movable in an axial direction along the shaft the portions of the arms passing through said holes being inclined with reference to the shaft axis said arm-movable member being slidably mounted on the shaft above the connection between the arms and the shaft.

2. A thread reel comprising a shaft, a plurality of radial thread-receiving arms movably connected With the shaft for movement in radial directions and an arm-movable member having holes through Which the arms slidably pass and movable in an axial direction along the shaft, the portions of the arms passing through said holes being inclined with reference to the shaft axis, and means for xing the position of the arm-movable member comprising a laterally movable spring latch thereon and a series of cooperating surfaces spaced along the shaft.

3. A thread reel comprising a shaft, a plurality of radial thread-receiving arms With inner and outer portions extending in the direction of the shaft, a collar on the shaft, an eye at the lower end of each of the inner portions of the arms, a pivotal connection between such eye and the collar, a plate-form member slidably mounted on the shaft above such collar having holes through which the inner portions of t. e arms freely pass and the side Walls of -which holes` contact with opposite sides of the arm portions which pass through them, such p0rtions of the arm being inclined with reference to the shaft axis, and means on shaft and plateform member to hold the latter against accidental movement along the shaft.

GERARD ROELOFS. JACOB BORGGREVE. 

